A high hat is a foot operated percussion instrument designed to clash two opposingly mounted cymbals. Conventionally, a lower cymbal is held stationary on a stand, while the upper cymbal is moved into engagement with the lower cymbal by operation of the foot pedal.
Typically, these pedals are pivotable at their heel with the toe end of the pedal connected to a cable or chain extending upwardly into the high hat stand where the cable is connected to a vertical rod. In some versions, the pedal is connected directly to the vertical rod. The vertical rod is connected to the upper cymbal so as to move the cymbal downwardly into engagement with the lower cymbal. A spring connected to the vertical rod will bias the rod upwardly so as to position the upper cymbal in a normally disengaged position.
Prior art high hat foot pedals are generally constructed so that the ratio of the change in foot plate angle to the change in vertical drop of the vertical cymbal rod is constant throughout a single stroke. One example of such a foot pedal is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,565 to Hoshino. In that patent, a pair of sprockets are coaxially mounted on a drive shaft with the foot pedal connected to one sprocket and the high hat cymbal rod connected to the other sprocket. By virtue of use of sprockets of different diameters, the ratio of the change in foot plate angle to the change in vertical drop of the cymbal rod is constant throughout a single stroke. This ratio may be changed, but will remain constant, by the utilization of sprockets of different diameters.
The concept of varying the ratio of the change in foot plate movement to the change in movement of an actuated arm throughout a single stroke, was first introduced by the present inventor in his prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,613 for a bass drum pedal. In that patent, the present inventor introduced a generally spiral-shaped torque arm connected to a drive shaft which permitted a constant change in the ratio of the change in foot plate movement to the change in hammer shaft movement. A similar concept was also disclosed in a subsequent patent to Donald Lombari in U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,224.
Even with the improved control provided by the foot pedal of the inventor's prior patent, musicians have still searched for pedals which permit yet more precise control. In terms of a high hat, it would be desirable if the variation in the ratio of the change in foot plate movement to cymbal rod movement could be varied throughout the stroke rather than the constant change disclosed in the Jacobson and Lombari patents. By providing a variable change in this ratio throughout a stroke, a higher total cymbal pressure could be provided while permitting precise control of the movement of the cymbal. Such control would also provide more dynamic foot to cymbal control, a superior field and more effective speed.
The inventor has discovered that the application of two eccentrically mounted sprockets, with one sprocket connected to the foot plate and the second sprocket connected to the cymbal rod provides the desired improved control. The inventor discovered that modification of the twin eccentric sprockets of the return spring of his prior patent, could be applied to a drive shaft to produce the variable change in the ratio desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved high hat.
Another object is to provide a high hat with a foot pedal in which the ratio of change in foot plate angle per unit of vertical cymbal movement is varied throughout the stroke of the foot pedal.
A further object is to provide a high hat with dynamic foot control and superior speed.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a high hat with foot pedal which is simple to operate and refined in appearance.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.